Toy mule



' oef. z5, 193s.

J. H. BARRETT 2,133,943

-TOY MULE ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 25, 1938 'roY MULE

James H. Barrett, Okmulgee, Okla. Application February 28,1938, Serial No. 193,159

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a toy mule and has for an object to provide a toy to amuse chlidren, the toy comprising a wagon or cart adapted to be pulled with a string on the oor or sidewalk 5 and having mounted thereon a toy mule having legs, ears, lower jaw and tail pivoted to the body there being Wheel driven trippers engageable with the rear legs to impart such motion to the parts that the speed of the wagon will cause the mule to Walk, run, kick,vand the ears, mouth and tail to move, as Well as the body to simulate movements of a live mule.

A further object is to provide a toy of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel details of con- 20 struction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood Figure 2 is a side elevation of the reverse side of the toy mule shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the toy mule shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 4--4 of Figure 2 showing the pivotal connections of the ears, legs and lower jaw with the body and the rods for imparting movement t these parts.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1 showing the pivotal connections and actuating rod for the tail.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 2 showing the rods which connect the front and rear legs on the same side of the toy together and showing the spring which returns the parts to normal position after each actuation.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, I0 designates the platform of the cart, the same being provided with a longitudinal opening II and being provided on the (Cl. L16--110) longitudinal edges, at the top and bottom, with strips I2 and I3.

The platformis supported at lthe front by ground Wheels I4 and at the rear .byv ground Wheels I5, Athe axle IB ofthe rear whcelsgextending across the opening I I and being `equipped with radially disposed trippers II and I8 fwhich rotate in the opening II when the toy wagon is pulled along by a cord I9 attached to the front end of the platform. 'Y

The body 20 of the mule is supported upcn the wheeled platform by asteel spring or woodstand'- ard balance 2| mounted forl rocking movement about a horizontal axis '22. 'I'he lower end of the standard extends forwardly and rearwardlybebase plate 24 disposed below the platform, lbear against the lower endof the standard at-ODDQ- site sides ofthe pivot. l

'Ihe rear hoofs 25 of the mule are recessed for the reception of the rounded ends 26 of the ktrippers I'I and I8. As best shown in Figure 3, .one ofthek trippers is short and extends upon one side of the rear axle I6 While the tripper I'I extends on both sides of the rear axle. The body of the mule is elevated to simulate the-rear legs taking a step.

The rear legs 21 are pivoted in recesses 28 formed in the side faces of the body, as best shown in Figure 5, for this purpose a pivot pin 29 being passed through the body and through the upper ends of the rear legs. The front legs 3D are also pivoted in recesses 37| in the sides of the body by a pivot pin 32, as best shown in Figure 4. Connecting rods 33 are mounted in openings 34 in the body, as best shown in Figure 6, and are pivotally connected to respective front and rear legs above the pivots of the legs, as best shown in Figure l. Thus the legs on the same side of kthe bodyy move in unison inthe same direction to simulate the pacing gait of an animal. Helical springs 35r are connected to the rods and to pins 36 in the body, as best shown in Figure l, and return the legs Ato initial position after each actuation. I

A pair of ears 3l are pivoted to the head 38 by a pivot pin 39, best shown in Figure'4. A con,-

yond the pivot, and coil springs 23 carried by a f necting rod 40 connects one of the ears to one Cil head by a pivot pin 44. A connecting rod 45 is connected at the bottom to one of the front legs and is connected at the top by an eye pin 46 to the lower jaw below the pivot thereof. Consequently when the front leg is actuated to simulate taking a step the lower jaw will be opened.

A tail 41 is mounted in a recess 48 formed in the body and is pivotally connected to the body by a pivot pin 49 best shown in Figure 1. A connecting rod isconnected at the lower end to one of the rear legsbelow the pivot thereof and is connected at the upper end to the tail above the pivot of the tail. Thus when the rear leg moves forward to simulate taking a step the tail will be raised.

When the trippers I1 and i8 engage the hoofs of the rear legs the rear end of the body will be elevated to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, this movement taking place simultaneously with the movement imparted to the front legs, ears, lower jaw and tail. According to the speed of travel of the toy wagon the toy will ksimulate the movements of a mule walking, pacing, kicking and so forth. i

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. In -a toy animal, a wheeled platform, a standard mounted on the platform, a toy body carried by the'standard, an axlev secured to the platform, a pivoted leg on the body, a radially disposedV rotatable tripper connected to the axle .and adapted to engage said leg to carry the leg "forwardly to simulate taking a step and then to -disengage from theleg after a step has been taken, and spring means connected to the leg and to the body for returning the leg to normal position after each actuation.

2. A toy animal comprising a wheeled platform, a, standard pivotally mounted on the platform, springs carried by the platform and engaging the standard for yieldably holding the standard stationary, a toy animal on the standard having a body and rear legs, lower jaw, ears and tail pivoted to the body, connecting rods connecting together the parts pivoted to the body for simultaneous movement, a spring connected to one of the connecting rods for returning the Vparts to normal position after each actuation,

an axle, and tripper arms driven by the axle and engagable with the rear legs for simultaneous- `ly actuating the body and legs, lower jaw, ears and tail to simulate movements of 'an animal.

3. A toy animal comprising a. wheeled platform, a standard pivotally mounted on the platform for rocking movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the platform, springs carried by the platform and bearing against the standard to yieldably holdthe standard stationary, an animal body carried by the standard, rear legs pivoted to the body, an axle on the platform, radially disposed tripper arms driven by the axle, said arms terminating in rounded ends, said legs terminating in hoofed recesses to receive said rounded ends and actuate the rear legs to simulate-taking a step when the axle is turned, front legs pivotally connected to the body, connecting rods connecting the front legs to the rear legs, the arrangement being such that the front legs are actuated simultaneously with the rear legs to simulate taking a step, and springs connected tothe connectingrods and to the body for returning 4the parts to initial position after each actuation.

' JAMES H. BARRETT." 

